Ments



(No Model.)

M. E. WHALEN.

DRESS SUPPORTING STEEL. No. 396,184." v Patented Jan. 15, 1889.

WITNESSES INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

Nir'n TATES ATENT FFICE,

MARY E. \VHALEN, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO MARY AGNES \VHALEN, OF SAME PLACE.

DRESS-SUPPORTING STEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 396,184, dated January 15, 1889.

Application filed February 23, 1888. Serial No. 264,921. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARY E. XVHALEN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Dress-Steel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

One object of the present invention is to provide a dress-steel that may be maintained without strain on the dress, whereby the desired set may be given the dress without the front of the same being drawn tightly to an undue extent.

A further object of the invention is to provide a steel so constructed that its ends will not cut the dress or penetrate the wearer.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the retention of the fullness of the skirt.- at the back without recourse to shirring; and, finally, the further object of the invention is to provide 'a d ress-steel which shall be readily attachable to and detachable from a dress, whereby the steels may be quickly and readily removed, and convenience in folding and packing the dress in trunks and drawers thus greatly promoted.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar letters of reference imlieate correspoiuling parts in all the figures.

Figure] is a perspective view of a dresssteel embodying my invention, a portion of a skirt being shown in section; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a skirt having a set of my improved steels therein, the outer fullness-retaining band of one steel being shown loosened. Fig. 3 is a detail view to be hereinafter referred to. Fig. -lis a perspective view of a modification.

The main member or bow (ft of the steel is, or may be in general, of the usual plain construction.- The connecting-strap Z) for the ends of the member (1,1 prefer to make of non-elastic material, as, owing to the peculiar construction of other parts of the steel, the elastic action desirable in the connecting straps of the ordinary steel is unnecessary. The strap 71 is preferably riveted to the how a, as at c.

To relieve the tensional strain of the member a on the strap 1), and to aid in maintaining the said member in the bowed position, I prefer to employ a supplementary or brace strap, cl, which is riveted or otherwise secured in place a suitable distance in the rear of the end connect-ing-strap, h.

Vith the View of avoiding the strain usually exerted 011 the front of the dress by the steels and overcoming the tendency of the steels to out, I provide for the yielding and indirect connection of the steel to the dress by means of metallic or other stiff attachments or extensions, 6, which are united to the main member a, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, the said extensions being preferably of a length sufficient to project beyond the ends of the main member a.

The ends of the extensions or attachments e are provided with rings f, connected thereto through the medium of the flexible fabric connection g, the said rings being adapted to engage or be engaged by snaphooks or other catches, 71, which are to be secured to the skirt-lining. This construction affords-a most convenient means of attaching the "steel in the dress and in a manner to be readily detached; but it is evident that good results will be obtained by stitching the outer ends of the extensions 6 to the skirt. Instead of the extensions 6 bein separate from the main bow, they may be integral therewith, and the ends to which the connecting-strap b is connected made separate, as shown in Fig. 4, the

effect being the same.

One of the extensions 0 projects beyond its point of attachment to the how a to form a band, 1', of a length sufficient to reach to the opposite side of the steel, at which latter sidea catch of any preferred construction is provided. The said catch in this instance consists of a headed button or stud, j, with which a key-hole slot, 75, in the free end of the band 2' is adapted to engage, the button being first passed through the circular portion of the slot, so that when the band 'i is released the shank of the button will pass into the narrow portion of the said slot and securely lock the band in position. The band 1', instead of being integral with one of the extensions 9, can be a separate and distinct piece, if desired, as shown in Fig. 4.

By means of the band i the fullness at the back of the skirt may be retained as follows: The steel is placed in the inside of the skirt m and the band 11 passed out therethrough to the outside. The fullness of the skirt at the back is then laid in folds and the band laid down thereon and its free end secured, whereby the fullness of the skirt is firmly held between the band 1' and the main member a.

A fastening, Z, maybe employed, if desired, to divide the folds at or about the center.

In Fig. 3 the fastening-l shown as consisting of a plain flexible piece of metal toothed at each end, the dotted lines indicating' the bent position given the fastening when in use.

*iy the employment of the band i the shirring' of the skirt, which is now essential, is avoided. In this connection it will be observed that my invention is not to be confounded with those steels in connection with which a shirring-needle is employed, all need for shirring being unnecessanv with my improved steel.

lVith the construction of steels above described they may be secured in place in the skirt without stitching, whereby they may be readily detached and removed, and the dresses packed in trunks or drawers free from the steels, the convenience and advantages of which will be readily apparent.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A dress-steel consisting of a bow having metallic straps secured thereto and forming a bow with double ends, substantially as described.

2. A dress-steel consisting of a bow having metallic straps secured thereto and projecting beyond the ends of the bow, substantially as described, whereby a bow with double ends is formed, as and for the purpose set forth.

I}. lhe combination, in a dress-steel, 01: a main member, a connecting-strap for the ends thereof for maintaining it in a bowed posi tion, and metallic extensions united thereto at or near the ends and carrying rings at their free ends, substantially as described.

4. The coi'nbination, in a dress-steel, of a main member, a connecting-strap for the ends thereof for maintaining it in ,a bowed position, a supplemental lnface-strap inward from said end. connecting strap, and extensions united to the main member at or near the ends and forming" a medium for attaching the steel to a skirt, substantially as described.

5. A dress-steel consisting of abow provided with double ends, a catch at one side, and a band secured to the side opposite the catch and having its free end engaging the said catch and clamping the folds ol the skirt between said band and bow, substantially as herein shown and described.

(3. In a dress-steel, the combination of a main member or how having a connectingstrap at its ends, a band on the outside at the back secured at one end to said main member and free at the other end to engage said member by a suitable catch, and rin at the forward ends of the steel, substantially as described, whereby the steel. may be detachably secured to the skirt at its rear and at two independent parts at its front, as specified.

MARY E. \VII'AL'EN.

\Vitnesses:

J'. L. hICAULIFFE, C. SEDGWICK. 

